It's
a Sunday morning, and we are at anchor in the wide bay of Big Majors
Spot, near Staniel Cay in the Exumas. All is quiet aboard Let's
Dance. Too quiet. In a boat this size, even if you can't actually see
the other crew you can usually hear them. But this morning there is
only the gentle slapping of wavelets against the hull and the faint
chimes of the rigging of nearby sailboats. No Bill, in other words.
So, short on togetherness, I go looking.
The
door to the engine room is open and there he sits, in the natural
habitat of the motor sailor. Lost in thought amid dials and hoses and
filters and fans. "What's up?," I ask. "Leak in the
lift pump." Ah. A tiny dribble of thin, pink fluid is evidence
of said leak, but it's not a worry for Bill. He will "wait and
watch" to see what develops. Then, if the leak continues, he
will assess the situation, weigh the options, think it through and
fix it! That simple! Three years of on-the-job training have paid
off, and there is (to date) nothing that he can't fix.
And,
since it is a Sunday, the clinic is open. Bill exchanges his virtual
coveralls for scrubs and snaps on the imaginary latex gloves. Bill is
not a doctor, but he plays one on Let's Dance. Without my four weekly
allergy shots, I would not be able to roam the salty seas with him so
he learned how to administer just the right dosages. The allergy
doctor at home looked so hopeful as he asked if Bill had any medical
training. Any at all? Sadly, all they taught him in the Army was to
jump out of airplanes, but he is a quick study and a natural in the
supporting role of Chief Medical Officer.
Naturally,
a big part of our daily routine revolves around mealtimes. The galley
is well suited for one chef at a time, and is yet another venue to
showcase the Captain's talents. For Christmas he bought me a slow
cooker -- a Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker! Apparently not your Wife's
Slow Cooker, either. So far he has whipped up a fantastic Tortilla
Soup and a Super Bowl Chili that was worthy of at least five first
downs.
Not
only does he cook the meals -- sometimes he catches them first!
Unwary mahi mahi cannot resist the colorful variety of lures (in this
case a blue and white skirted Carolina rig) that are thrown their way
on long, deep, offshore passages. The puny five pounder caught
yesterday in 125 feet of water was followed by a sparkling yellow
beauty who pushed the 20 pound range. This guy did not want to come
aboard and stole the gaff to prove it....although what he planned to
do with a rusted old gaff, I have no idea. As you can see, Bill
prevailed and dinner was fresh grilled mahi mahi.
The
offshore fishing journey led us south to Georgetown and its funky
"Chat 'n Chill" bar and restaurant -- home to aging
volleyball players, domino divas and beer drinkers of all calibers.
We fit right in. The anchorage fills each winter with hundreds of
boats, most with sails, full of sailors who come for the season. The
nighttime view over the harbor looks a little like Manhattan if you
squint at the twinkling anchor lights atop all the swaying masts.
Not our usual choice of resting spots, but an interesting cultural
phenomena to observe none the less.
We
also visited the local grocery to stock up before leaving the main
populated grid again. For only $55 we scored a few treasures --
English cucumber, Raisin Bran, Rotel tomatoes, romaine lettuce and a
few other must-have items. Food is expensive in the Exumas as it has
a long, slow boat ride to get here and we understand that. But the
Captain has his limits, and his price point for a half gallon of
Hagen Dazs is somewhere south of the $27.50 local asking price. So,
no ice cream for us. We have to cut back somewhere!
We
are heading east now, on a sparkling winter's day. Deep swells in
the inky blue water lift the bow just high enough to provide a
satisfying 'plop' as we settle back into the next trough. There are
no other boats in view today as we venture further into the great
Atlantic to Conception Island - another of the alleged landing sites
of Christopher Columbus. He was a very busy and accomplished
captain, not unlike my own. A man for all seasons, is Captain Bill
-- ace navigator, confident mechanic, creative IT guy, promising
photographer, and much, much more. Is there anything, you ask, that
this renaissance sailor cannot do?
Well,
you might have to discuss his tide chart extrapolation skills with
the Love Me Tender. In the meantime,
Let's
Dance.....Carol (and The Captain)
